The quirky thing ... by Wendy G
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Linda greeted her grandmother with a kiss, and was introduced to May, a new arrival to the retirement village. Alice's eyes sparkled as the two older ladies shared their life experiences. May was from the United States. Her life in the US had been very different from that in Australia, where she had lived for several years with her second husband until his recent death, so there were lots of stories to share. "They are good for each other," Linda thought happily. Just then a tall man approached with a small posy of flowers for May. "This is my son, Robert – he's visiting from the US." May's face shone with pleasure. Time passed quickly - an enjoyable afternoon for all. The following weekend, when Linda visited at her usual time, Robert was already there. Robert and Linda soon felt at ease with each other, and chatted like old friends. The third week, it was the same. He went with her to prepare the afternoon tea, telling her that he had visited Australia every two or three years to visit his mother, but was now planning to move permanently, in order to be closer to her. "I feel so comfortable and at ease with you," Robert confided, "I have always been very shy with young women, especially because of my leg." He lifted his trouser leg a little to reveal a prosthesis. "Motor-bike accident. I felt that no woman would look at me twice." "I understand," she replied. "My father was a violent and abusive man until he died from a heart attack after a drunken rage. I have always been more than a little nervous around men …." They laughed, enjoying this new sense of freedom together, having shared their vulnerabilities. The following week, Linda took her son Jack to visit his great-grandmother. He loved to teach her how to play games on his I-pad. "How old are you, Jack?" asked Robert. "I'm eight!" Jack replied. Robert was very thoughtful and quiet during the visit. Finally he suggested to Linda that they walk in the gardens. "There's something I need to say, Linda", he began. He interrupted himself with three sneezes in rapid succession. Linda gasped, and looked shocked. "So sorry. Excuse me. I always sneeze when I go into the bright sunshine. It's a quirky thing. It runs in my family, through all the generations. We all do it!" Robert continued, "I am so sorry. I had no idea you were married, Linda. My thoughts have led me to jump to conclusions about our friendship, and I was hoping …." Surprised, Linda cut in, "Oh no, I am definitely not married! Jack often stays home with my mother while I visit Alice, his great-grandmother. My mother is not always well enough for the trip, and Jack is very responsible. I am a single mother – you see I always wanted a child, and Jack was conceived through IVF. Interestingly, his donor father is American. That is all I know about him. But Jack also knows and understands, and we are doing some American history together just in case one day he wants to find him. " Just then Jack ran out into the gardens to join them. "Granny Alice says afternoon tea is ready!" Jack called. Then stopped … and sneezed three times.
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Copyright 2024.
Wendy G
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